From Soft-Swingin’ to Slingin’ Roses: Taylor Frankie Paul Is the New Bachelorette

“How do I make this work? I’m a co-parent. I have two baby daddies, not one, so I’m dealing with two different people; my children, my home base is here. Can I travel that long? Can I be gone that long?” Paul explained. “But then I’m also thinking on the side, the other two moms that are in my group [Jen Affleck and Whitney Leavitt] are doing Dancing with the Stars, and they brought their family out, but also they have their husbands, so for me, I’m like, is this possible for me to do as a single mom? Can I make it work realistically, no matter how much I want this? And I was like, I can, if you want to, you can, and it comes down to that, so I was just like, I will make it work … I can ask for help more.”

“As a single mother of three, Paul shares the highs and lows of her life with unfiltered candor,” ABC’s announcement reads. “With humor, resilience and a fearless openness, she inspires others to embrace life’s chaos and own their story.”

Until December 2024, Paul was in an on-again, off-again relationship with the father of her third child, Dakota Mortensen. Those who’ve seen even one episode of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives know their relationship has been chaotic—even that domestic violence arrest aside. To Cooper, however, Paul declared herself “officially single for about a year” and the latest season of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives will apparently see her grappling with whether or not she wanted to “make it work” with Mortensen. Spoiler alert: the answer was no, and she predicts Mortensen will be “sad” to hear of her new gig.

“I can’t really even picture it happening for me. I don’t know people’s intentions, or if they’re just wanting to date to get on the show. And so you have to question people’s intentions,” Paul told Variety about her recent dating setbacks in June. “I also have three kids, so who wants to come in and take over that role? But I do have a very good intuition, I will say. Like I can tell when something’s right and when it’s not. Clearly, that’s why I’m not with my baby daddy.”

Well, here’s hoping that “intuition” of hers will serve her in the mansion come January 2026…

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• Paula Dean on Anthony Bourdain: “He didn’t like anybody, not even himself.” Someone get this racist hell demon another stick of butter to put in her pie hole. [New York Post]
• Oh, look, another reason for me to hate Friends: Tamara Mowry-Housley said Sister Sister was canceled to make room for the sitcom. [People]
• Did we all realize that Channing Tatum was dating a manic pixie dream girl? [Us Weekly]
• Now, who would sucker punch James McAvoy??? [TMZ]
• Anna Wintour on the Devil Wears Prada: “I went to the premiere wearing Prada, completely having no idea what the film was going to be about.” [The Hollywood Reporter]
• No, Glen Powell don’t compliment Chris Pratt, your so sexy aha. [Variety]
• I’m glad Maisie Williams and Joey King are having fun and all, but if they ruin the Practical Magic sequel, so help me…[Just Jared]

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